MY MISSION HAS CHANGED MY LIFE!  IT BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES WHEN I THINK OF HOW MUCH HE LOVES ME…….


  Dear family and friends,

     How are you all doing?  I miss you and pray for you every day!  I got the Christmas packages you sent me and I am so thankful for them.  I also saw that Lauren and James sent me something too.  Thank you so much for that!  Don't worry….. I didn't open the presents, even though I was tempted to.:) haha!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!  I HAVE THE BEST FAMILY EVER!!  This Christmas will be wonderful!!

     Transfers are this week so we are deep cleaning our house today.  It was really really cold this week and last Tuesday it snowed so much that while I was walking I got completely  covered in snow.  We had to walk for 30 minutes to our service project. and when we left there was no snow on the ground at all.  Then when we got there the ground was completely covered in snow, and my entire coat was white.  haha  My feet got soaked and my hands too, and it was a little painful but sooooo fun!  I was just SINGING and SMILING the entire time.  It was beautiful!

     Every day I see the little kids punching and kicking outside my window doing Taekwondo, and I hear their noises they make. SOOOO CUTE!!!   The Korean children and teenagers go to school early in the morning here in Korea and they finish around 4:30 or 5:00 pm, which is later than the kids do in America. Then…..they go to an academy until about 10:00 or 11:00 pm at night.  CRAZY right??

     I have been practicing the songs I'm performing for the Christmas party where our mission president and the whole mission will be attending, and also for the ward Christmas party coming up. I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to sing.

     This week was great!  We got two more investigators and we finally are making some progress here.  Haha! We also got to go with our investigator to see Handel's The Messiah in our church building.  It was fun to hear the songs i used to sing when I went to Chandler Gilbert College and work under Marc Denton.  Our investigator loved it and thanked us so much for inviting her.

     This week I have been thinking about VIRTUE.  When I was a young woman I never TRULY understood what virtue really was.  I have been studying it more and more and have found that there is more to virtue then we think.  Virtue resonates in our deepest desires and thoughts.  Our President often tells us to "Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord."  That scripture is not talking to JUST MISSIONARIES BUT TO ALL OF US.  My favorite quote is from Sister Elaine S. Dalton, "One  virtuous young woman or young man, led by the spirit, can change the world."  I have found on my mission that it is true, and I want to be clean INSIDE and OUT.:)  As I am laying in my  bed at night I just think about everything that happened that day and how I can be better tomorrow.  I ask myself if I tried my best that day, and I have so many thoughts at night.  I truly want to be a virtuous person.  I know I'm not perfect but this mission has helped me to reflect on my life so much.

     So you asked me my favorite tradition of the Korean people.  I really like everything??  Does that count?  haha!  And a COUPLES CHRISTMAS is the best description of how Korean's celebrate this time of year.  I mean if you don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend then Christmas isn't fun for them and they don't do anything.  They actually call it a Couples Holiday, kinda sad but yeah.   The members of the church see it differently though, but they usually don't open presents.   I am not sure what they do actually.  And my favorite dinner now is a famous soup that Koreans make, and they just put EVERYTHING in there.  For breakfast I either eat oatmeal or just some fruit.

     I was trying really hard this week to remember some funny experiences I had but now I can't remember them………….hold on……let me think………yep….not coming to me…….so sorry!:)

     My favorite time of the day is still the morning.  I love morning study and having the quiet time.  There's nothing that's REALLY crazy hard for me right now except becoming a consecrated missionary.  I just am trying my hardest to give MY ALL to the Lord.  I try and then repent and then try again.  It's a constant process of repenting and trying again.  One of the most joyful things is probably you all (my wonderful family) and……... the love that my Savior has for me.  He saved my life by leading me to this mission, and my mission has changed my life.  I can't describe it……it brings tears to my eyes when I think about how much He loves me and what my mission has done for me.  I came out to serve others but I have been served the most without even recognizing it.  I recognize it now.

     I am supposed to get my flight plans next week.  The office asked me what airport I want to fly into so I said Sky Harbor Airport.   Alyssa don't worry you and I will eat out at Mimi's Cafe like the good ole times.  

     I just want all of you to know that I love you so much and I hope that you have the spirit of Christmas within your hearts.  Don't let a day go by without helping someone in need.  I love you JUSTIN and hope you have the time to read this letter.   I miss you little bro, and know that we are in this together.  Keep up your great work over there in Kentucky Justin and we will all be back at Del Coronado beach before you know it.  Haha!  Hope you are all healthy and well.:)    I LOVE YOU!!!!  MERRY CHRISTMAS!:)

                                                       Love Michelle